Day 3,4,5 July 9,10,11,2009

Day 3 July 9, 2009
WOW! We awoke at 6:45 this morning to… wait a minute…wait a minute, this can’t be, but it is. A BEAUTIFUL RAINBOW stretched across fluffy white clouds crowning Sydney! This has to be the foreshadowing of a blockbuster day ahead. By the time we meet in the hotel lobby, it is raining steadily. We revamp our plans and decide to grab a quick brekkie (breakfast/in Aussie lingo) Playing it safe, we headed to the nearby Mickey “D’s”…after all we know what McDonald’s combo’s taste like. Wrong! The breakfast on a roll is actually ground beef, egg, Swiss cheese and catchup on a chewy coney-type bun. Never mind, there’s a Subway a few feet away, so I wind up there afterward and find solace in a ½ doz. chocolate chip & macadamia nut cookies. My posse and I will reward ourselves throughout what would prove o be a very adventurous day.
Destination Manly Beach
Acting on the advice of an Aussie friend of Kim’s we purchased a commuter pass for the week to avoid standing on queue (in line/Aussie lingo) and having to taxi or purchase passes. This tidbit of info was priceless as our pass allowed us to ride the ferry, train & bus with on & off privileges. This saved us time & money as we were able to get on & off at different harbors to view the major tourist attractions with ease. Our destination today, however, was Manly Beach. I know it’s called Manly and while some may think the name chauvinistic, the beach is really about the girls, shopping (No $$ Stores here), surfing and in places snorkeling & canoeing. Manly Beach appears to be very, very upscale. The beach is lined with lovely bungalows poised in the cliffs and granite boulders. Many of which appear to be vacant (during what is their winter) The flora & fauna is incredible and lushly flourishing succulents and tropicals line the beach front properties. The tropical plants have brilliant colors and showy well hydrated foliage. The envy of parched city lawns back home.

Did I mention eating? You bet there were rows of eateries along the square which looks much like its 1815 photo posted near the promenade or Manly Corso (the outdoor mall that you walk down from the harbor to the beach.) Just as our Aussie friend said, there really are no traditionally Aussie meals because there is a rich cultural mixture of people who make food that is unique to their country of origin. We have found little Mexican food but lots of Asian eats from Korean to Indonesian to Chinese, etc. The pizza from a chain called Kabobs is wonderful; the dough is the best I’ve had, thick like pan pizza, but light & airy. I had a veggie slice (see I haven’t been all bad) spinach, tomatoes, black olives, onions and ricotta cheese. With a side of chips (fries) Yum! Shola and I turned getting ice cream into an adventure since we had the shop all to ourselves. We started with a chocolate dipped waffle cone and proceeded down the toppings buffet line…really. We must have tried every topping, sprinkle, or syrup on our cone. We’d lick them off then add another one. Of course we were licking the spillage off our fingers as we went along. We were surprised when we looked up and saw that we had an audience of patrons watching & snickering at us. It was like we were doing a commercial for the shop because afterward, people were lining up to get the ice cream cones. Compared to other major cities, Sydney is relaxed, vibrant and oh so friendly like a young lady content in her skin.

A merchant told us to walk up the embankment ¾ mile or so to where he said you could see Miami on a clear day. We did it. Whether we were looking at Miami or not I’ll never know but we did see dolphin fins in the amazingly translucent teal colored Indian Ocean. Incredible! I never imagined I’d be peering into the Indian Ocean…ever. God has truly blessed me. The beach was sandy. Of course it was sandy, but the sand was not coarse but very fine. Although the sun was shining, it was about 65 degrees most of the day so swimming was not an option for most, however there were dozens who donned wet suits and went for it. Kim and I were wrapped up like newborn babies, skull caps, head wraps and scarves. A German fellow on the ferry ride back asked me if I were Muslim. I was wrapped I’m telling you. Keep in mind we had just left 105 degree temps in H-town, so the night time chill was to the bone. We retired after viewing our superb photos, taken over the past couple of days and playing a trash talking game of Uno in our room. Shola & I kicked butt! Kim & Tokes….let’s just say they were good sports. LOSERS! Ha!

Day 4 July 10, 2009

Today was crème de la crème and our entourage took the high society promenade to the magnificent Sydney Opera House where we, along with other tourist from places as far away as well …Texas, Washington DC, Ireland, Finland, New Zealand, & Germany took a 1 hour tour through the Sydney Opera House. This audio-visual presentation which tells an enthralling story of dramatic twists and turns is a must do! The story is much more about faith than architecture & engineering. A 38 year old Danish architect’s rough sketched blueprint that had been tossed in the rubbish became one of the marvels of the world. We top off the tour with a children’s music festival performed in the famous Sydney Opera House. The concert was incredible. If you didn’t know they were children, you wouldn’t have been able to tell by their performance. I judge the quality of any orchestral performance by the length of time it takes to lull me to sleep. This one was a 9 1/2 on a 1-10 scale. I was asleep in 15 minutes, awakened only by snickers and teasing by my travel buddies who mimicked my bobbing head and periodic interjection of applause and verbal affirmation. I am sure the prodigies were encouraged. Obviously most enjoyed the performance and others as myself appreciated the nap as looking about the concert hall they were equally slain (pun intended) by the renditions.

Dressed to the “9’s” we took to the streets in route to the Sydney Tower http://www.sydneytowerrestaurant.com.au/. It is called the Southern Hemisphere’s ultimate buffet. It oughta be! (nearly $100 per person, and they don't bring you an after dinner mint for crying out loud!) My opinion, however, is that it is more of a tourist attraction because of it’s breathtaking view as it rotates 360 degrees and 305 meters high above the Sydney cityscape. The cars below look like matchboxes and people are invisible. It is not to be missed and is an amazing virtual reality ride across Australia. Your view is unobstructed for miles. The buffet, while a feast for the eyes was less so for the palate in my opinion. Kim thought the view and the warm bread and butter were the highlights. (The slice of meat that looks like beef on the photo is roasted kangaroo.) The local and international cuisine that I experienced at the local eateries and on the squares and promenades was better, plus the added benefit of chatting with the natives.
Beauty Knows No Pain
The walk described as a short distance from our hotel to the Tower proved to be the walk from hell as my sneaker wearing feet were elevated to a high heeled backless slip-on that had to tread up inclines and maneuver along cobblestone creviced sidewalks, then back downhill while managing to keep the darn shoes from being flung forward with each step. The grace and elegance I had hoped for eluded me as my stride was so unsteady and wild, I looked like a drunk trying to walk the line during a sobriety test. The benefit is that folk got out of my way as my companions thoughtfully asked, “Are you all right Ms. Viki?” “Are you still with us?” or “We’re almost there!” or “Maybe you should just take the shoes off.” To which I replied, “And walk in spit on the sidewalk?!” After a day of Opera House, symphony and fine dining, I was much too sophisticated to walk on spittle, expectorant and expelled chicklet. Beauty, after all, knows no pain.

Day 5 July 11, 2009

I’ve got morning-after breath…eating roasted kangaroo chased with lamb & mint jelly isn’t ordinary culinary delight for us, but we did it and survived last nights buffet. We slept in today, after breakfast at Cascades Café, named so because of the opulent flowing water cascading down a granite outer wall bordering the restaurant. That was until Lisa & Shola banged the door like cops with a search warrant, woke Kim from a sound snoring sleep, and drug her out of bed, literally. We have pictures to prove it. We were whist away to Luna Amusement Park were a kid could be a kid and grownups could be kids too. We were greeted almost immediately by a bevy of clowns (1/2 doz or so) dressed in frolicking, shockingly bright assortments of striped, polka dotted and printed costumes. In fact, when we saw the clowns pouring through the entrance door we began running toward them and pleading to take photos with them. The clowns were overjoyed and one of them said “We wish all grownups had this much fun with us.”
Ojesina/Duncan "Dare Diva Duo"
Shola and I are a dynamic duo and triumphed at the highest level of amusements park dare divas. We rode the Power Surge, a ride which spins each carrier as it makes 12 revolutions then suspends & spins you upside down in the air while you stand holding onto vertical metal bars in front or above you. You are anchored by only a padded bar which is waist high. This is madness...what was I thinking? I screamed my bloody (Aussie lingo) head off. I had to remain seated for about twenty minutes after the ride. My stomach was well in my chest. I'm glad Shola and I had conquered the Tumble Bug first. Shola had no takers for an encore. My troupe asked, "Why do you do that to yourself? Simply put, "Because I'm afraid to bungee-jump."

After the ferry ride back to Darling Harbor, I fell in bed for a ½ hour nap before heading to China Town for dinner. I ate a delicious honey chicken & rice dish, which was delectable. Back at the hotel the Ojesina’s joined Kim & I for a rousing game of Catch Phrase.
Tomorrow the Ojesina’s leave for Guam, then they travel on to Hawaii before returning to Houston. We have had a wonderfully adventurous experience in Sydney with them.